Because of the extreme high and low tides due to the full moon phase, we were able to experience an abundance of wild sea life this trip. I am now strategically planning for future trips.








I am falling more in love with the south Jetty area as I scope it out and have now foudn that I can drive on this particular beach. Hmmmmm, a vehicle.....on the sand....food for thought.





We made a trip to the jetty and found a tiny little bird hidden amongst the rock as well as a large flock of Sanderlings behind the Jetty

Tiny bird

Flock of Sanderlings

We all had a great breakfast at a local hotspot:


A sample of plants from the Bread and Ocean Bakery in Manzanita




New Fave Place: surfer beach, killer tidepooling opps:



Found a new favorite beach to rival the previous one. This place BEGS to be shot with the fish eye lens. Fortunately Kristi and Scout M and I will return in September for a fish-eye fest. Here Lynn found some tiny shells clinging to a crack in a cave.


Lynn found a "thing". Therefore I have entitled this photo "Lynn's Thing."
Profound, no?



"Kelp Wad" - it sounds like a mean name I could call you.

Grampa Fish

Chinese stars

I have previously posted images of one of my favorite beaches and their difficult to reach rocks - except at low tide. I don't know what it is, but James has a need to climb. Climb the highest mountain. Climb things that no man (in his right mind) would think to climb. If yo like to go tidepooling, try hard not to think about the death that just occurred here...





The whole point of this visit was to get some fair pics of the boys inside this abandonment. I forgot my tripod, so apparently another trip is now required. Here are the sadly inadequate images sans tripod:

Brag brag...beach...brag brag...blah blah blah...beach...etc and on and on...

I am beach.

Got crabs...?

With another beach trip looming this upcoming weekend, I found this long lost foto from Scout's and my February 2011 trip:


Lynn and I are going to make the epic trip to Manzanita. Hiking will ensue, I'm sure.
As will appropriate wine consumption.

1997 Paris Tour Revisited

In 1997 I was priviledged to be sponsored for a trip to Paris by my Getty Art Prof. Friend.
It was a 1/4 credit accelerated art history credit through University of Portland's "Art for Educators" program. It was 2 weeks of intensive art immersion solely in Paris with one excursion to Giverny - The home of Monet. I am looking at doing it again...if not next year, then perhaps the one after:

See tour details.

This is VERY similar to the trip I took back then as part of Portland States Curriculum.

I am hoping to find a way to save up to take my kids on this trip.
It has become a goal.

Dear Child of mine...

...even while the words were escaping your lips, I knew that you were lying.
The proof came 24 hours later.
It took only a few minutes for you to destroy a lifetime of trust.
Now, no matter what you say, I have NO foundation upon which to stand so that I can believe anything you say whether it is the truth or not.
You have destroyed any point of reference.

It will take you a VERY long time to rebuild that ability to trust, and rfrankly, its not
my problem to rebuild.
It's yours.
Are you going to even try?
If not then don;t pretend to have a right to
be offended if I am distrustful.
You are the one who shattered the trust.
Did you think yourself to be so clever as to not be found out immediately?
Do you not remember the old saying: "Moms have eyes in the backs of their heads"?
There is an excellent reason why this saying came to be.

And now...
what will you do?
Will you come forward and confess of your own accord before I am forced to confront you?
that is the only way to immediately begin rebuilding the road to trust.

I am waiting but will not wait forever.
I WILL call you out after a short time.


EPILOGUE:

Grace wins.
Peace comes from truth.
Truth rebuilds trust.
Construction has begun.

Fun Claymation

Kenzie found a cool claymation on Netflix instant watch the other night and it
is pretty danged good. It is called:


Max and Mary.

The link is only to the first trailer for it, but if you have netflix you can get it on instant watch.
Its really worth the watch.

The Quilt Abyss and it's Minions...

...have descended upon the town. Sometimes I just have to laff at the rudeness of these people who should be otherwise. I had to walk from one end of town to the other. No one...not a single person was willing to share the sidewalk with me. They kept walking 2 or 3 abreast and never even appeared to consider condensing to let on-coming walkers have room to pass without going out into the street while they hogged the sidewalk.
Ok.
Well what ever.

Then there was the lady that asked my friend at her bookstore, "Do I have to pay full price on this? I am a quilter. Don't you people have Quilter's Discounts?"

*Facepalm*

I actually proud of myself though.
There is a verse in the bible that says the equivalent of "Be nice to your enemies, because it will be like heaping hot coals on their heads, when you are nice to them and they are butt heads to you" (that was the Michelle paraphrase.)

So the way I get through quilt show is to take the concept and flip it around, by attacking the event itself with all the niceness I can imagine:

-By helping Wanda streamline the process of how the store works in order to SERVE these
naggy, self absorbed snitty creatures (instead of thwarting them?) ;o)

-By looking each creature in the eye, and trying to decipher their needs/wants and how to meet them in the most efficient way.

-By reminding myself of 2 things:
-This event only last for 1.5 weeks
-Repeating to myself, mantra-like, in the style fo the Matrix (there is no spoon) that
"There Is No Quilt Show, There No Quilt Show. There is no such thing as quilt show..."

Anyway, tomorrow I just have to survive it. Then it will be over for another year.

Why did I ever bother?

And what's more, why do I continue to?

Funky Animation: The Secret of Kells

Directed by Tomm Moore.

If you have NetFlix, search it.
Traditionally I have heard of the main character as "Aidan" as opposed to "Brendan", but even so, the animation is nutty.
I am liking it.

:o)

A trailer is Here.

And a blurb is written up Here.

More from Last Weeks Beach Trip

Morning walk on the beach at Manzanita with her trusty Americana thermos circa 1976.

Sand formations

What is this thing?

It's down on the river side of Astoria, by the canneries:

What ever it is, I like it. It is "Riven-esque".

Abandoned "Red" Cannery.

We took a walk along the wharf. Astoria has put a jogging path along the river that cuts right through the heart of the industrial area, and "Cannery Row" down to the Maritime Museum, abandoned train depot and beyond.
Scout found poppies growing along the banks. in the back you can see one of the cannery's. Just after we took this picture, one of the guys working out back was rinsing all the gurry out into the river, while a sea lion was enjoying the buffet. The stinker kept diving under every time I tried to get a pic of him though, so I eventually gave up.

More of Scout's Starfish

The tide is rapidly climbing up the jetty, and covering up all of the little Starfish.

Too freakin tired!

Perhaps its because of the busy tumult of daily living just catching up with me, perhaps it is the fact that we were all awake last night enjoying the wonderful thunder and lightening storms that came through the area dumping hail and mass amounts of rain. Perhaps it is just being tired after today's biopsy...nothing big, just a dumb 'ol pre-emptive thing. I just didn't expect to be this lethargic. Perhaps it's mostly all of the above put together. I know i spoke to other people today and it seems like we are ALL exhausted. I think it must be that we were all awake listening to the storm. I hope we get another one tonight. I'll just plan for a nap tomorrow if it happens. :o)

Killer thunder storms last night in the wee hours. Finally Scout, Brogin and I got up about 430 to watch. Awesome!

Animal Planet?

I have done nothing but care for other people's pets for the last 2 hours straight.
And that is not counting my friends cat in town.

Most of it is the fault of PetSmart!
The sold my daughter a sick rat, and lied about it. $100 later I will be going back in there to hold them accountable. I may end up going in there again if our other rat gets sick.

Ugh!

But now Pickles is significantly improved, and both cages are sterilized. The dog has been
medicated, the cats fed. Now I gotta do the aquarium and then go into town and do Spaz The Cat. (At least she is pretty easy and quick to care for!)

June Beach Trip, Day 2, Part 2

Scout finds some Starfish on the ocean side of South Jetty.

The mighty Starfish hunter on top of south Jetty.





PS - It's official: I think I hate this new camera.

Beach Day 2

Dismal Nitch.
That is the real true name of the place.
Named by Clark of Lewis and Clark Expedition fame.

Look at that green. It was VERY slippery. Now, in your imagination, can you imagine the stink? Yes. oh yes.

June Beach Day 1: Sadness

The ODFW (Oregon Fish and Wildlife Dept) had him roped/signed off: do not disturb.

Even so, it did not stop humans from paying him homage and even leaving a small trinket in the spirit of endearment and honouring his departure.

Bunny and Sealion: a meaningful connection?

While the tide races in, Scout takes a minute to climb around on a rocky ridge that will be soon submerged.

...and Scout even found some of her initials carved in the stone.


Last time I was here, I managed to skate around to the other side of these rocks at low tide and sneak back in the nick of time as the tide had turned. Below shows the swift tide change as it races in in less that 8 minutes:

It is now ankle deep.

Psychic? How?

This is at the corner of Burnside and Division in Gresham.
One is compelled to ask one's self:

Who needs to have their "Past" told?
"What just happened?"

And really, WHO needs to have their "Present" told?
"What's going on?"

I mean really!

Church Split

Gah!
Must I live through another one?
At least this time I am not related to anyone involved!
Still...
In the words of a good friend,
who said exactly what was in my heart,

The word comes to mind:

"Unnecessary."
Was the impetus for this
really THAT important?

I thought of the bible verse where
it says something akin to:

"It is a foolish woman,
who tears down her own
house."

And for what?
From where I sit,
although I adore the teachings
of my (former) pastor,
There is a niggling thought
chewing at the base of my brain:
After his "administrative (so called) pastor"
borrowed an obscene amount of money in
order to pay intense church staff salaries, they
suddenly manage to throw up their hands
and leave the church, scot-free, while the
actual congregation is still held
liable for the HORRENDOUS debt
incurred.

This is a grievous sin.
And while I do NOT necessarily hold my
pastor accountable for it in it's entirety, I do
hold him some what accountable as the overall
leader and shepherd of this people. The real fiend in
this is the man who "administrated", and who had
himself (somehow) declared as "Administrative Pastor".
the dude doesn't even HOLD a pastoral degree! He has not
been ordained in any way shape or form.
This man is vile in my eyes and steeped in putresence.
(I call "Mizpah" (It's not a nice sweet lovey thing. See link and then see below**). And I say therefore:
"May God judge between me and thee".
Mizpah should not be declared lightly.)

Fortunately for me, God
has no care for politics.
He is no respector of
tradition for it's own sake.
This is not to say some
traditions do not serve Him, but
there are far too many sacred
cows, both in and out
of the church.

Many do not serve Him.

In such a case, I would
quote to myself:
"As for me and my
house, we will serve
The Lord."

No matter if that looks
foul to the official church,
or if it looks foul to
those not part
of His church.

Screw politically correct,
whether it occurs within
the Church, or within those
who think of themselves
as the Intelligencia, or
modern, or right wing
or left wing.

God is NONE of these things.
Which is why He is hated
and dissed.
May I be like Him then.


** Mizpah was a declaration between two men who did not trust each other because one cheated the other and got away with it. And so one man declared "Mizpah" meaning
"...may God judge between us, which one is truthful and which is a liar." - Michelle Paraphrase)

Bad Fridge

By Blake

Architectural Piece

So I got this nutty piece of antique exterior moulding from a vendor in the store.

It fit perfectly on the blank wall behind the wood stove.
To balance the wall out, I also got a clock.

The Barn Candle(tm) company sells their candles in little mason jars with tin lids.
Once the Barn Candles are used up, I have nothing to do with the lids...
until now: I can use them as candle holders for the little disc tea lights. And place them together in groupings...on top of this moulding is a perfect place.

I needed a couple of "oddments" to also balance out the uh..."wall display"?
So I got one juggling pin, paired with an antique brass hose nozzle (of course!)
And I also got...HER!

What is that sculpture of a woman usually found on the front of a ship?
(Dear Susan, of all people, I bet YOU will know this!)
"Maiden Head?" "Mast Head"? Well, there was a nautical booth at the store.
It had this crazy butt-ugly woman-esque-ish figurine for sale.
I thought, "What on Heavens name is THAT and boy is she coyote ugly!"
I like it.

Dear Orange and Black

OSU:

Dare I hope...but it's possible, that YOU, may receive one of our own?!
All Glory to Oregon's Orange and Black!

Dear Beav's,
May you GO!

Dear All-You-Kids,

Last night was a pretty chill party.
There was loud music.
The girls danced with abandon.
There was food.
There were helium filled balloons, emptied, into lungs to create amusing anecdotes.

If all of YOU (tm) were here, then it would have been heaven on earth.

Even so...
It was pretty danged good.

And my heart is full***.

*** Wish you were here.

:o)

My town part 2: in my town cars and pedestrians share the road with deer and people riding their horses in the middle of town and think nothing out odd.

My town part 1: remember in the 1st Toy Story movie how the clouds were painted on Andy's wall? That was the sky today.

The Haircut

You would think it would be a simple, uneventful task?
No.
So there we are in PDX.
We've Off loaded Scout's stuff at the apt, and loaded up the worlds biggest plasma screen TV to take back to Sisters. We've gone to the Hot Cake House at the bottom of the Ross Island Bridge and stuffed ourselves to the brink of vomitting.

And Blake says,"hey, while we are on this side of the river, wanna go get our hair cut at that really GOOD Supercuts?"

James and Jeremy agree.
So we go.

They enter and Blake announces loudly, "we are here. At the best Supercuts ever!" It's me James and Jeremy here to get our hair cut again. It's the Trinity!"

All stylists in the salon are now chuckling.
Except the old crabby one. (But she kinda lightens up at the end.)

"Let's all get the exact same haircut!" they decide.
"We all want to look the same."

Stylists eyebrows go up.

And from there...
a verbal comedy routine/party/banter is launched.

Blake's stylist looks at me and says, "is he always like this?"
"Yes" say all of us at the same time.
But see, James is no less a slacker in the yakkity comedy BS dept.

They filled this poor salon to the ceiling with their B.S.

A good (if not exhausting) time was had by all.

Facts and Aftermath.

So in the week following her completion of school, and before the actual commencement
ceremonies, Scout has moved to PDX to live with Blake, James and Jeremy, (brother, and friends from Camp).

Worrisome bits:

-She is in the exact middle of change of medications, the effects of change should be showing up anytime now.

-She has never driven in the city. And certainly not on any of the freeways.

-Can become overwhelmed and over tired with too much change going on. I don't know that Blake will be able to recognise the signs of her overload. I barely can.

-The boys are all pretty chaotic. She needs some sort of order.

-She will either share a bedroom with her brother, or won't get one at all (pending). She needs a bit of private time.

-Needs a job.

-Almost got run off the road yesterday because she refused to merge and allow another car in between hers and mine. Repeatedly. In excess of 60 mph. I hope she doesn't get in a car accident. She really has no experience driving on freeways.

When Blake first moved to Portland, he stayed with camp friends, but they were all living with one boys family. (Mom Dad etc) I knew he was going to be fed at least 1 square meal a day and have a safe environment. This is different. Not that Blake, James and JEremy are unsafe - they are safe - but they are 20-23 yr olds. Every minute of every day is one big adventure, and if not, they make it into one. Even yesterday, going to get a simple hair cut turned into a hilarious, spontaneous media-esque event. Scout needs some "down time" at some point, or she will 'pop'. (Especially in the midst of a med change from Zoloft to Selexa.)

I hate this "worry" part of the transition.

ADDENDUM:
I had a lengthy texting conversation with Bryan today. Bryan is a long time friend and a dad. During the course of this convo I came to the conclusion that I am only just small. I should remain alert and yet at the same time, knowing that although I adore my kids, God loves them FAR more and dude! HE is able to be EVERYWHERE. I sure can't. So I have to trust. And pray, and just remain open and available.

Ugh!

I don't want any (ANY!) of "My Kids" (tm) to experience unnecessary pain or discomfort.
(Are "My Kids" (tm) hearin' me?!)
And yet...such is the stuff of normal life.

So I pray.

Dear Season of Flip Flops...

...how I LOVE thee!
Please bless me with your presence and linger long, after other seasonal guests depart.
:o)

Carpet Stain Mystery Solved

So I thought all the stained carpet areas beneath the chair where my dad sits for dinner were a result of maybe clumsiness or poor eye-sight, or deteriorated hand-eye coordination on his part.

Not so.

I saw it last night.
I witnessed it.

He throws morsels from his dinner, to the dog - who cannot catch to save her life. She lets it fall and then eats it when it is no longer in motion.

(sigh. *slaps own forehead!*)

I am going to slap him!